Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/141

119 where he found Julned asleep and unattended; so he made him smell to powdered henbane, and he became as one dead. Then Sehim went out and took a mule and wrapping the King in the coverlet of his bed, laid him on her back; after which he threw a mat over him and led the mule to the Muslim camp.

When he came to Gherib’s pavilion and would have entered, the guards knew him not and forbade him entrance, saying, ‘Who art thou?’ He laughed and uncovered his face, and they knew him and admitted him. When Gherib saw him, he said, ‘What hast thou there, O Sehim?’ ‘O King,’ answered he, ‘this is Julned ben Kerker.’ Then he uncovered him, and Gherib knew him and said, ‘Arouse him, O Sehim.’ So he made him smell to vinegar and frankincense; and he cast the henbane from his nostrils and opening his eyes, found himself among the Muslims; whereupon, ‘What is this foul dream?’ quoth he and closing his eyes again, would have slept; but Sehim dealt him a buffet, saying, ‘Open thine eyes, O accursed one!’ So he opened them and said, ‘Where am I?’ Quoth Sehim, ‘Thou art in the presence of Gherib ben Kundemir, King of Irak.’ When Julned heard this, he said, ‘O King, I am at thy mercy. Know that I am not at fault, but that he who made us come forth to fight thee was thy brother, who embroiled us with thee and fled.’ ‘Knowest thou whither he is gone?’ asked Gherib. ‘No, by the light-giving sun,’ replied Julned, ‘I know not.’

Then Gherib bade lay him in bonds and set guards over him, whilst each captain returned to his own tent, and amongst the rest Jemrcan, who said to his men, ‘O sons of my uncle, I purpose this night to do a deed wherewith I may whiten my face with King Gherib.’ ‘Do what pleases thee,’ answered they; ‘we hearken and obey thy commandment.’ Quoth he, ‘Arm yourselves and disperse about the infidels’ camp, muffling your steps, so that the very ants